Forget butterflies. The churning and cramping
of a queasy stomach can feel more like the
entire insect population taking up residence
in you belly.

Any number of factors can cause stomach
upset. At the top of the list is stress.
"Stress not only tightens your abdominal
muscles but also increases your stomach's
acid production, explains Barbara Majeroni,
M.D and assistant professor of family
medicine at the State University of New York
at Buffalo.That is why you feel nauseated in
stressful situations.

Of course, you can also get a queasy stomach
from something that you have eaten. FOod that
is improperly stored, cleaned, or prepared
invariably picks up bacteria, syas Dr.
Majeroni. In fact, just about any food, if
mishandled, can attract troublesome bacteria.
But red meat, eggs, and poultry are
particularly susceptible. And when those
bacteria get into your system, they can leave
you with a mild case of food poisoing.

Even certain medications---particularly
antidepressants--have stomach upset as a side
effect. If you start a new prescription, you
may be nauseated for a week or two until your
body adjusts to the drug, says Dr.
Majeroni.

Prescription--To soothe an unsettled
stomach

No matter what its cause, stomach upset
usually goes away on its own within 24 hours.
Chewable antacids such as Tums and Extra
Strength Rolaids and liquid antacis such as
Mylanta and Extra Strength Maalox can speed
relief along, says Dr. Majeroni. The
following remedies can help as well.

Drink tea made from chamomile or peppermint
three or four times a day until you feel
better. Both herbs work gently to relieve
digestive distress. You can buy the herbs in
tea bag form in health food stores and some
supermarkets, says Dr. Majeroni.

Take a 6C, 12C or 30C dose of the homeopathic
remedy Ipecacuahna (or Ipecac) every 2 to 8
hours until you feel better (The notation 6C,
12C or 30C is standard measurement in
homeopathy and refers to the remedy's
potency, which is listed on the label). Which
dosage you choose depends on the severity of
the sympmtoms.If your symptoms do not improve
within 24 hours of stop taking the remedy and
talk to your doctor.

Chew a stick of gum for 30 minutes at the
onest of stomach upset. Like ginger ale,
chewing gum gets saliva flowing, says Bob
Marks M.D. a GI doctor in private practice in
Alabaster, Alabama. Avoid chewing gum that
contains artifical sweeteners such as
sorbitol or mannitol. These sweeteners have
been known to have a laxative effect on some
people.

To ease queasiness

When your stomach is doing more somersaults
than the US gymnastic team, it takes a toll
on your appetite. But you still need to
eat--and the fact is that food may help you
feel better. To stop your stomach from
churning, Dr. Majeroni suggests these dietary
strategies.

Eat small but frequent meals every three to
four hours for the duration of your digestive
distress. Your stomach can better tolerate
and process mini-meals compared to the
standard three minutes.

Stick with bland foods such as bananas,
cereal, rick and chicken soup until your
symptoms subside. These foods move smoothly
through your digestive tract and help soothe
a tumultuous tummy.

Snack on crackers or a slice of unbuttered
bread. These foods absorb excessive stomach
acid and relieve queasiness.

Avoid coffee, black tea, diet soda, and
friend foods until you feel better. They all
can cause your stomach to produce more acid,
which worsens your discomfort, explains Dr.
Majeroni.

Prescription-----for a tranquil tummy

Once your stomach settles down, you can take
steps to stave off a recurrence of
queasiness. For starters, give these tips a
try.

Breath deeply for five minutes whenever you
feel stressed. Sit in a straight-back chair
and inhale slowly, feeling your lungs fill
with air. Focus on your abdomen as it
expands. Then exhale slowly, feeling your
diaphragm relax. This exercise calms you
down, which helps keep your stomach from
churning, says Dr. Majeroni. It also gives
you time to compose yourself so that you can
deal with the stressful situatioin in a
constructive, non-gut wrenching way.

Wear clothing with comfortable waistbands.
Tight-fitting garments that cinch your waist
put pressure one your stomach. When you eat,
this pressure forces food to back up into
your esophagu, leaving you nauseated, says
Dr. Marks.

After a meal, wait at least two hours to lie
down. This gives your stomach time to digest
what you have eaten, explains Dr. Majeroni.
Otherwise, stomach acid can easily slosh into
your esophagus when you are in a horizontal
position. You will end up feeling queasy.
When you do lie down, lie on your left side
rather than your right. Because stomach rests
in the left side of the abdominal cavity,
this position minimizes the chances of
stomach acid backtracking into your esophagus
says Dr. Majeroni.